What Makes Me Pick Up a Book — Tag

This was intended for yesterday, the third day of BOOK TAG WEEK!! But guess who forgot to post? I have an excuse though. I wasn’t feeling well, so let’s just pretend yesterday didn’t happened and continue BOOK TAG WEEK with the What Makes Me Pick Up a Book — Tag, created by booktuber Wonderfully Bookish.

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Do you judge a book by its cover?

Temple of Silence: Forgotten Works & Worlds of Herbert Crowley by Justin Duerr, illus. by Herbert Crowley

I most certainly do, and I do so quite often. That’s why I’m featuring Temple of Silence here. It started out as a cover buy until I saw the detailed illustrations within and decided to get it for that reason too.

Focusing just on the cover, what attracts you to pick it up?

The Emperor of the Eight Islands by Lian Hearn

I love a cool design, appealing colors, and interesting typography. The design, colors, and typography are what attracted me to The Emperor of the Eight Islands.

Do you read the synopsis first, or prefer to go in without knowing anything about the book?

It depends.

If I’m buying a book and it’s a cover buy, I might glance at the synopsis. If I’m picking up a book to read, I’ll most likely check the synopsis, but sometimes I forget to.

Do you have any auto-buy authors — authors whose books you will always buy, even without knowing anything about them?

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

The short answer is No. The long answer is maybe Robin Hobb because if she drops another book, especially one set in the Realm of the Elderlings (the first book of which is above), then I’ll get it.

Are you more likely to pick up a book if it includes specific elements/themes (e.g., LGBTQ+, mental health rep., disability rep.)?

I think it depends.

If I’m browsing a book store or library and come across a fantasy novel or picture book or comic book by a Black author or featuring Black characters only, it’s highly possible that my interest will be piqued and I’ll pick it up to see what it’s about.

Do you ever read a book that has generally negative reviews just to form your own opinion of it?

Gilded Cage by Vic James

I sometimes do. I think negative reviews are just as helpful as positive ones, and I’ve added several books to my TBR because a negative review caused me to develop an interest in the book. That’s what happened with Gilded Cage, a YA fantasy novel. Unfortunately, I also didn’t like it. There have been times when the opposite is true (I end up liking the book), but I can’t think of an example at the moment, and it’s not something I keep track of.

Do you ever buy a book just because another BookTuber or book blogger has reviewed it or talked about it a lot?

In the Garden of Spite by Camilla Bruce

Dude, that’s about 45% of the books on my TBR, lol. That’s how I ended up trying Camilla Bruce’s In the Garden of Spite, a historical-fiction novel about a female serial killer. I’d learned about it from Mogsy and Tammy, and it became one of my favorite reads of 2021. Then I told everyone I knew about it and bought copies for my aunt and brother.

Is there anyone whose book recommendations you will generally always trust?

Three off the top of my head are:

• Mogsy — A lot of the books on my TBR are due to her reviews.
• Tammy — If it’s horror or a bit spooky, or something I wouldn’t think to try on my own, it’s probably me having read one of Tammy’s posts and deciding to take a chance on something new.
• Lashaan — I realize that I often add books to my TBR that he negatively reviews, lol. But I get so curious!

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If you picked up a book recently, then I tag you.